BMW M Motorsport factory driver Jens Klingmann won the overall and GT3 Pro class Italian GT Sprint championship at the wheel of a BMW Italia – Ceccato Racing M4 GT3, with the team managed by legendary Motorsport driver Roberto Ravaglia.
The Italian GT championship had both Sprint and Endurance rounds, with two Sprint races per race weekend held at the Misano, Imola, Mugello and Monza circuits. In the eight total Sprint races, Klingmann had five wins and two additional podium finishes. He did it with the help of three different factory drivers as teammates throughout the year. Max Hesse drove with him at Misano and Mugello, Jake Dennis drove with him at Imola and Raffaele Marciello joined him for the final two races at Monza.
Jens Klingmann (right) and Raffaele Marciello celebrate their win at Monza.
The final two rounds at Monza capped off a great year for the team and Klingmann. He set the fastest lap in race one and took the victory with Marciello to clinch the championship, and the pair then completed the season and accentuated the championship by winning race two as well. “Grazie Mille to BMW Italia, my amazing fast teammates Lello, Jake and Max for supporting me for this back-to-back title!” said Kingmann on social media. “Very thankful to Roberto Ravaglia and Ceccato, Grazie.”
BMW Italia – Ceccato Racing also won the GT3 Sprint Pro-Am championship with drivers Malvestiti and Pedro Ebrahim, who finished third overall and first in the Pro-Am class in the last race at Monza to take the title. —David Haueter
[Photos courtesy Italian GT]